community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Elephant Head, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (76th percentile) and lowest in fall (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Elephant Head?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elephant Head, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Feb 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, rabbitbrush; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 44 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi SW, blooms late Apr – early Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Elephant Head
Mostly: Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; North American Warm Desert Ruderal & Planted Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi SW.
How Elephant Head ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 13th | 45th | 5th | 27th |
| Arizona | 71st | 76th | 41st | 28th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 80th | 81st | 83rd | 44th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 94% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Elephant Head: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Green Valley 5 mi · Arivaca Junction 5 mi · Amado 6 mi · Tubac 11 mi · Sahuarita 12 mi · Tumacacori-Carmen 14 mi
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Elephant Head (31.7668, -110.9913); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.